UV laser-induced poling inhibition in lithium niobate crystals

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Description/Abstract

The development of methods for ferroelectric domain engineering in lithium niobate (LN) is of special importance as it not only enables the fabrication of efficient non-linear devices (PPLN) [1] but also constitutes a very effective path towards micro-structuring of this important ferroelectric crystal [2]. UV laser-induced poling inhibition is a process whereby domain inversion is prohibited as a result of previous UV laser irradiation of the crystal. The effect was first demonstrated using a frequency-doubled argon ion laser (244 nm) to irradiate the +z face of congruently melting undoped and MgO-doped LN single crystals followed by electric field poling [3]. In that initial report the potential of the method for both, ferroelectric domain engineering and micro-structuring, was demonstrated.